Multple liners for a pipeline



March 2, 1965 Filed April 14. 1961 H. M. LANG 3,171,426

MULTIPLE LINERS FOR A PIPELINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.- 3

FIG-4 FIG-2 HAROLD M. LANG INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY H. M. LANG 3,171,426

MULTIPLE LINERS FOR A PIPELINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 2, 1965 Filed April 14 1961 FIG. 8

m FlG.-6

FIG. 7

HAROLD M. LANG INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY a n L United States Patent 3,171,426 MULTIPLE LINERS FOR A PIPELINE Harold M. Lang, Tulsa, Okla, assignor to Pan American Petroleum Corporation, Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 163,028 Claims. (Cl. 137-262) The present invention relates to a novel means for handling fluids, fluidizible solids, or other materials that can be readily transported through a conduit. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a method of flowing materials of the above-mentioned kind through two or more collapsible conduits enclosed in a common framework or casing under conditions such that there is no contamination of one material by another.

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational sectional view of a particular manifold design which may be employed to handle a plurality of different fluids without danger of their being contaminated with one another.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section of FIGURE 1, taken along line 22.

FIGURE 3 is also a cross-section of FIGURE 1, taken along line 3-3.

FIGURE 4 is another cross-section of FIGURE 1, taken along line 22, showing two of the three conduits partially inflated with different fluids being simultaneously transported.

FIGURES 5 and 6 are fragmentary schematic views of suitable inlet and outlet manifold systems used in the present invention.

FIGURES 7 and 8 are fragmentary sectional schematic views of transfer and storage vessels adapted for use in this invention and forming a part thereof.

Briefly, my invention contemplates placing two or more collapsible conduits, such as plastic tubular liners, in a common casing sufficiently large in diameter to accommodate a single liner when the latter is fully inflated. In numerous instances, however, the diameter of these liners need not be as great as the internal diameter of the casing, particularly on occasions where pressures are employed that can be readily withstood by the liners without the support and confinement afforded by the casing.

In carrying out an embodiment of my invention, both ends of the liners are individually connected to a suitable manifold distribution system or, if it is expedient to do so, the manifold system at one end may be replaced by a storage and transfer vessel containing a group of collapsible bags or compartments corresponding in number to said liners, each of said liners being connected to an individual compartment.

In accordance with my invention, a single line or casing may be used to enclose a plurality of tubular liners through which fluids of widely different types can be sequentially transported, uncontaminated with other fluids that have already passed through the system. Also, by this improved method it is possible, for example, to transport two or more different materials simultaneously in the same or different directions through a common casing without crosscontamination.

Thus, it will be seen that by the use of my invention a method is provided for transporting fluids sequentially or simultaneously through a common system whereby a substantial saving in the installation of said system can be realized. For example, with my invention it is possible to handle several fluids in a system where the pipe had been handling only one fluid. Typical of such an application is a tank car loading rack wherein the piping was originally design to handle only one fluid at a time. With a plurality of collapsible liners placed in a single pipe, my invention makes possible the handling of two or more fluids sequentially, without contamination or mixing when switching from one fluid to another. A still further and very practical application of my invention is in the distribution of different kinds of aviation fuel for filling the fuel tanks of aircraft. Thus, with my invention it is possible to transport through a single existing aviation fuel pipeline system both jet fuel and gasoline for piston aircraft, thereby removing the necessity of maintaining two separate distribution systems. However, if two such systems are retained they can be made much more versatile by modification in accordance with my invention.

The collapsible liners may be installed in the pipe, or common casing, in any of a number of ways. However, in the majority of instances, I prefer to employ the procedures described in US. 2,794,758, one of which involves the in-place lining of a pipeline or similar conduit with a tublar plastic liner which is initially mounted on a reel. The free end of the liner is anchored to one end of the pipeline and then, by fluid pressure exerted on the exterior of said liner at the anchored end thereof, the liner is forced to pass through itself, i.e., is turned inside-out, and is paid off the reel until the opposite end of the conduit, or a joint thereof, is reached. The free end of the liner may be anchored to the second end of the conduit by any of a number of known methods.

Referring again to the drawings, FIGURE 1 represents a manifold or an adapter comprising delivery tubes 2, 4 and 6, having tapered ends which are fitted into the ends of collapsible plastic conduits 8, 10 and 12, respectively. A seal between the tapered ends of the tubes and the plastic conduits is effected by bolting tubes 2, 4 and 6 to the mouths of tube inlets 14, '16 and 18 at flanged joints 20, 22 and 24. The tube inlets lead into a common channel 26 which is connected at one end with tube inlet 14 by means of flange 2'8, and at the other end by flange 30, placing casing 32 into communication with the manifold. As shown in the drawings, flap valves 34 and 36 close off communication between inlet tubes '16 and 18 and with channel 26. 'Valves 34 and 36 also can occupy the positions shown in the dashed lines. Ordinarily, these valves are operated merely by the pressure of the fluid flowing through a particular collapsible conduit. Thus, as shown, flow of fluid into channel 26 from inlet tube 14 generates suflicient pressure as it passes through plastic conduit 8 to push valves 34 and 36 flush against the mouths of inlet tubes 16 and 18, respectively, thereby preventing plastic liner 8 from attempting to fill the cavity in the lower portion of tubes 16 and 18 and ultimately causing the liner to rupture. The valves function similarly with respect to tubes 14 and 18 if fluid is introduced into the system through tube 16.

These flap valves preferably have a handle or indicator 38, as shown in FIGURE 3; Such handles are useful for at least two reasons: (1) sometimes it becomes necessary or desirable to set the valves manually, and (2) by the position of the handle, one can tell whether a given inlet tube is closed or open.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4, two of the liners are partially inflated. Thus, both liners 8 and 10 may be filled with gases or liquids being transported in the same or different directions simultaneously. If desired, the fluid in liner 8, for example, may be sealed off at both ends of pipe 32, thereby automatically serving to control the capacity (diameter) of liner It). In this way, it is possible, by confining a given amount of fluid in one of the liners and blocking the flow thereof in the liner, to vary the capacity of a second or third liner within the casing, depending upon the pressure or amount of fluid in the sealed-off liner.

In a scheme such as that shown in FIGURE 5, valve 36A would have to be manually set so as to block off inlet tube 18A, although valve 34A naturally falls to its indicated position, thereby preventing the plastic conduit from bulging out into outlet tube 14A and rupturing. In this connection, although not shown, it should be pointed out that the ends of conduits 8, .10 and 12 are secured into;

outlet tubes 14A,,16A and 18A in the same fashion as shown in FIGURE 1, with respect to the inlet ends of said conduits. v

FIGURE ,6 is a schematic representation, similar to FIGURE 5, showing howthe flow offluids can be di rected through a different pair of inlet and outlet tubes.

In this case, valves 36 and 36A fall into proper positionnaturally and do not have to be set mechanically.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic representation of a trans fer and storage vessel 40 which communicateswith the outlet manifolding systems shown in FIGURES and 6. Each oflines 14A, 16A and 18A is connected to collapsible compartments 42, 44 and 46, r spectively. These:

compartments may be constructed of heavy, reinforced plastic or rubber suchas, for example, the kind used for collapsible fuel tanks. Fluid is run into compartment 44 and, as it fills up, the other two compartments are forced toward thewalls of the vessel. It compartments 42 and; 46 have any fluid inthem, such fluids are forced out through lines, 14A and 18Aas the volume of fluid being stored in compartment 44increases. The fluids in lines 14A and 18A may either be withdrawn from the, system through valves, not shown, or sent back through the transfer system shown in FIGURES'S and 6 and col lected at the inlet manifold schematically shown therein. Actually, if one compartment is full of liquid which is to be withdrawn, this object can be accomplished, if desired,

to said casing being such that the inflation of anyone liner is capable of effecting at least the partial collapse of the other liners; individual input means connected to one end of each of said liners; and individual withdrawal means connected to the other end of each of said liners.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a mani' fold element connected to one end of said casing, said manifold elementhaving a common channel connected to a plurality of spaced lateral branches; said tubular liners extending through said common channel and each extending into a corresponding lateral branch; and a plurality of valve means connected to said manifold element to individually control the flow of fluid through each of said tubular liners. i

f 3. Theapparatus of claim 2 wherein said valve means each comprises a flap valve positioned adjacent the junction of oneof said lateral 'branches andsaid common channel to control the How. of fluid carried by the corresponding tubular liner and operableto close against the mouth 'of' the adjacent lateral branch.

' 4. The apparatus' of claim 1 wherein the diameter of each of said tubularliner's wheninflated is substantiallyequal to the inside diameter of said casing. I Y

' 5.'The apparatus ofcla'irn' 1 further including'individual variable. "volume storage means connected to said with-' drawal means in suchamanne'r that each of said liners is placed in flow'com'municationwith a different one of said variable volume storagemeans; and a common container for said storage means;

7 I References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 365,454 6/87 Westinghouse 1371 1,284,465 11/18 Ryan 251-5 XR 1,400,550 12/21' .Hopwood I 137-l 1,641,919 v9/27 Christensen 137594 1,653,907 12/27- -Hilgerink 137-594 1,879,269 9/32 Hutchison 222,

2,589,431 3/52 Reed 137-111 2,719,536 10/55 Stone 137-111 2,753,215 7 7/56 Barr 138115 XR 2,769,397 11/56 Bolger 2515 XR 2,879,785 3/59 Vesterdal 137- 264 2,997,212 8/61 Dyer 222145 FOREIGN PATENTS 218,250 11/58 Australia.

. 552,181 a 1/58 Canada.

947,655 1/41 France. 1,176,330 11/58 France. g

'ISAIDOR WEIL, Primary Examiner.

LAVERNE ID. GEIGER, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR SEPERATELY HANDLING A PLURALITY OF FLUIDS, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED OUTER CASING; A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL FLUID-IMPREVIOUS FLEXIBLE TUBULAR LINERS POSITIONED INTERORILY OF AND SUPPORTED BY SAID CASING AND EXTENDING ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF, SAID LINERS BEING INFLATABLE BY INTERNAL FLUID PRESSURE AND COLLAPSIBLE BY EXTERNAL FLUID PRESSURE; THE DIAMETER OF EACH LINER RELATIVE TO SAID CASING BEING SUCH THAT THE INFLATION OF ANY ONE LINER IS CAPABLE OF EFFECTING AT LEAST THE PARTIAL COLLAPSE OF THE OTHER LINERS; INDIVIDUAL INPUT MEANS CONNECTED TO ONE END OF EACH OF SAID LINERS; AND INDIVIDUAL WITHDRAWAL MEANS CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END OF EACH OF SAID LINERS. 